I'm considering purchasing a new Glock 17 for my CCW as well
as for a SHTF backup weapon.

I'm not experienced with these side arms ,so can you guys help
me out with some info from the owners point of view ?

I've already Googled some things ,I'm sick of adds and info from
sellers.
I want info from experienced owners.

I've decided on 9 mm for several reasons.
Cheap bulk ammo,easier for the wife to shoot if needed,widely available.
I've used a Berretta 92 FS ,an HK USP V 1 in .45 ACP,several revolvers,
and currently a Taurus PT-92 AFS as a CCW.

I just wasn't completely satisfied with any of these,but I've kept
the Taurus the longest because it's dependable.
I want more accuracy.
My Qs :

1.Is the compensated version of the G-17 worth the extra $$$$ ?

2.Do I have to buy a special version ,or upgrade parts to use
+P or other higher power 9 mm cartridges ,or is the G17 rated to
handle them out of the box ?

3.Please don't BS me on this one -What kind of accuracy do you get
from a G-17 ?
I'm saying ,what size of a group at 25 yards.Benched or braced.
My Taurus shoots about 8 inch groups at that range ,I would
like to do better and keep the dependability .

4.The Glock appears similar in size to the Taurus /Berreta 92s,
just boxier,I'll need a new holster.
Will it be  more difficult to conceal under a sweatshirt
in a crossdraw holster ?

5.If concealability becomes an issue ,is there very much of an
accuracy difference between the 17 ,19,and 26 ?

6.Are the high capacity mags still being produced?
(High as in 30 rounds or more )

7.I plan on getting it with night sights from the factory.
I don't want to screw around with mods on this gun.
For the purposes of a CCW/SHTF sidearm ,what else might I want
on it strait from the factory ,or even aftermarket ?

8.What's with the funny looking trigger ?
(Please keep in mind ,I've never shot one ,only handled them)


9.The grip was nice ,but seems as if when your hands got
swetty ,your grip might slip.
Does anyone make an aftermarket slip on soft or
non-slip grip for these ?

Thanks for humoring my newb questions.
After handling one in a gunstore ,I'm drawn
to a new Glock 17 .

I'm a Glock fan, as are many here, and they will attempt to help you, while others will attempt to dissuade you.


You should rent a Glock from a range or fire a friends before you buy it.


The "Funny trigger" is a trigger with a safety (mini-trigger) in the regular trigger.   You have to pull the trigger from the front for the weapon to fire, as the "mini trigger" disengages the safety.


Some people dont like the way a Glock feels or shoots, while I, and others, love it.

I currently only have a Glock 17 and 26, as they can use the same mags.     I made the conscious choice of 9mm for the same reasons as you, plus the fact that I love to saturate what I shoot at with rounds, and that's easier with large capacity magazines.

If you get the Glock 17, be sure to get a couple 33 round mags.   They stick out only a bit, but they dont affect accuracy negatively, and they afford you more shooting without having to reload.

I have 12 17-round magazines, and 3 33-round magazines.   I should be good for SHTF or Zombies or Dinosaurs with my Glocks as back-up sidearms.

I would love a chance to try them out at a rental range.

Unfortunately ,I've never seen a rental range anywhere
in this state.

I'll Google that and see what I find.

The area I live in is more of a revolver area.
Few are into the military or similar handguns.

Even fewer have the $$$$ because of a lack of
decent  jobs.
Good factory work has been sucked oversees
or South of the border.(Thank you freaken NAFTA !)

I'm lucky in this aspect.

1) I fail to see the need. G17C throws a mega-flame. Bad for night vision

2) No, it handles defense ammo just fine.

3) I can hit a man sized torso steel target at 50 yards all day long.

4) It will be no more difficult to conceal than the Beretta or Taurus (crappy copy)

5) Minimal accuracy difference. Longer barrels are more accurate. My G17 is more accurate in my
   hand than a G19 or G26.

6) Yes. 33 round Factory Glock Mags are very easy to find for under $30 each.

7) I don't believe in night sights. When the sights glow, it's too dark to see your taget anyway.
   Trijicon seems to be the best or most popular. Your G17 needs nothing but ammo.

8) It'll take some time to get used to a Glock trigger, but that's what all the ammo is for.

9) Hogue makes a grip sleeve. I've never lost grip on any of my Glocks.

Make sure you get a Generation 3 Glock 17. It has a light rail underneath for mounting a light or laser.
Make sure you get two 17 round mags with your Glock. Some shops will give you two 10 round mags and sell the two 17 rounders to make a little extra $.

Most of all, shoot the dog piss out of your new G17. You will fall in love.

HS1

Quoted: I would love a chance to try them out at a rental range. Unfortunately ,I've never seen a rental range anywhere in this state. I'll Google that and see what I find. The area I live in is more of a revolver area. Few are into the military or similar handguns. Even fewer have the $$$$ because of a lack of decent  jobs. Good factory work has been sucked oversees or South of the border.(Thank you freaken NAFTA !) I'm lucky in this aspect.

Where are you in PA?

I live in SE PA, I have a G19 an dG17 you bring the ammo and I'll let you shoot at the range.

IM or email me.

I would humbly suggest that you consider a G19 instead of a G17.  It is marginally smaller and easier to conceal but will do anything a G17 will do (in my experience - others' opinions will vary on this) and still utilizes the same mags, ammo, etc..

I have 2 G17s and a G19 in 9mm, as well as 2 G21s and a G30 in .45.  If I could only keep one, it would be the G19 - it has been my primary carry-gun for more than ten years now.

And +1 on the "try one before you buy one" suggestion above - good advice.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide.

I would strongly advice AGAINST the compensated version. Just get the 17 with night sights and a bunch of factory 17rd mags and you're good to go.

Just a little help with purchasing the mags, check here on the EE for mags.  My gunshop LEO price for hi-cap 17 rounders for my G-17is $25.  You can get them here on the equipment exchange from several different dealers in the $16-17 range.  33 rounders are about $25 here.

I have personally dealt with Outdoorbrothers, but there are several others.

Thanks for the posts all.

Surprising that nobody recommended the compensated version.

Considering how much more they cost ,I think I'll cut that part
from my list .It'l save me more money for extra mags and ammo.

I never thought of it that way before ,but a compensator that
close to you would ruin your night vision.

I am still however interested in the night sights,or possibly a laser
sight.(That would be a new toy for me to try )


Sight-rail ,

I live in South central PA .Bedford county ,on the Maryland border.

Thank you very much for the offer,perhaps in the future I may
IM you to give yours a try.
I won't be able to purchase this weapon for some time ,I'm just
gathering information for now.
Testing it out would be a real help.

A weapon of this expense is a lot of $$$$ for me.
This may well be my tax return present to myself ,or what
I use my seasonal bonus for.
I would rather investigate it and be sure ,than spend that kind
of money for something I'm not happy with.

I don't want to switch weapons for my CCW after this.

I would much rather get accustomed to it.
Thanks.

Since no one really chimed in on the Comp version I'll give my .02.

It does through alot of flame up to screw with your night vision.  But if you are shooting quality ammo with good flash supresents it really wil not be that big of an issue.  The plinking ammo will give you flashes but in the light you will not see it.

It's great for the range and compatition shooting and such but thats about it.

Now I also got a regular factory barrel to go with mine so that I could switch to a normal barrel when I'm going to use it for something other than plinking and making noise.



If you get it I would also advise/suggest you to get an Advantage Arms 22 conversion kit.  They can be had at Glockmeister.com for about 250.  They work great for real cheap plinking and the gathering of small game.  It's not that heavy and it takes seconds to switch it out.

I've shot the 23 and own a 27, both are great.

Since you have chosen the 9mm and specifically mention CCW and the wife unit, I'd vote for the G19.  You get capacity, smaller size for CCW and also a size that should be comfortable for most women shooters (unless she has really small hands).

As far as the ports go...  Not only will the flash be bad at night, but the gases and debris are worse.  They could be detrimental to your long term eye sight if you cut loose from a retention stance.

If Montana USPS decides to pull their heads out of their a$$es and deliver the damn FFL already, I'd have gotten my Glock 17 a week ago.

1. I wouldn't bother to get the compensated version for CCW. The compensator is more of a range competition feature in my opinion. I won't bother to repeat the resons already mentioned in this thread.
2 Your Glock 17 will eat +P+ all day long and ask for more. No problem there.
3. At 25 yards the G17 will fill it's role and then some for a defensive pistol. Most well trained shooters will have no problem getting consistent tight groups well inside a 4" circle at 25yds. For that matter a G19 will hit just as well.
4. You can conceal a G17. The G19 is easier, and that's why I carry it. Get a good holster(I like IWB), buy clothes that are appropriate for carry(I buy my pants and shorts big to accomidate carry), learn to carry yourself properly(no more bending over, squat to pick stuff up), and you can carry a fullsize pistol without much trouble. Why do you carry crossdraw if you don't mind me asking?What kind of holster will you be using? Why do you ask specifically about sweatshirts, what about the summer months?
5The length of the barrel changes the sight radius and the velocity of the round. Not much, but a little. There isn't much if any real accuracy difference between a G17 and a G19 in my opinion. Either one will be all you need.
6 Why the concern about 33 rd mags? I personally think they are a fun little novelty, unless you live in Iraq. My advice is to train like you fight. Get a bunch of standard cap mags and practice with them. If you need 33 rounds in a gunfight you are probably really screwed. The average gunfight only lasts 3.5 seconds. Of course this doesn't factor in the possibility of zombies, but you get the idea. They aren't concealable, in my experience, so they are just a toy at the range.
7 If you want night sights get one for the front sight post for sure. Night sights are great for dawn and dusk shooting as well as some indoor or alley shooting situations where lighting is sub-optimal. Get a green front sight post because it is the brightest. I would recommend Trijicon. I don't like bright rear sights, and really don't think them necessary. If you have a good defensive flashlight(I highly recommend one) lighting is not as much of an issue. learn to fight with a good defensive flashlight that has at least 50 lumens. I like Surefire. Your G17 or 19 doesn't need anything else as far as modifications. Glocks do everything they need to do right out of the box. Worry about your shooting skills and forget about the Glock. It will work, will you?
8 As previously stated the trigger has an integral safety. This pistol is made to be efficiently deployed.
9 Don't waste money on Hogue grips. When rubber gets wet it gets slick. Cut one or two little pieces of skateboard tape and put them on the grip. Problem solved. Also I like the 2nd Gen grips better than the 3rd Gen because my hands are too big for the grip bumps. After an extended shooting session the 3rd Gen grips eat me up.

Go out and rent one.Try it out. You might need to get used to the trigger. After you get used to it, it's really nice. Bottom line, you can't go wrong with a Glock 17 or 19.

Quoted: My Qs : 1.Is the compensated version of the G-17 worth the extra $$$$ ? NO 2.Do I have to buy a special version ,or upgrade parts to use +P or other higher power 9 mm cartridges ,or is the G17 rated to handle them out of the box ? REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE MANUAL SAYS, GLOCKS ARE FINE WITH PLUS P 3.Please don't BS me on this one -What kind of accuracy do you get from a G-17 ? I'm saying ,what size of a group at 25 yards.Benched or braced. My Taurus shoots about 8 inch groups at that range ,I would like to do better and keep the dependability . AT LEAST AS GOOD AS YOUR TAURUS, PROBABLY BETTER 4.The Glock appears similar in size to the Taurus /Berreta 92s, just boxier,I'll need a new holster. Will it be  more difficult to conceal under a sweatshirt in a crossdraw holster ? IF IT IS THE SAME SIZE, THEN IT WILL BE JUST AS EASY TO CONCEAL 5.If concealability becomes an issue ,is there very much of an accuracy difference between the 17 ,19,and 26 ? IN MY OPINION, THE GLOCK 17 IS MORE ACCURATE THAN THE GLOCK 19 AND GLOCK 26, AND THE GLOCK 34 IS MORE ACCURATE THAN THE GLOCK 17 6.Are the high capacity mags still being produced? (High as in 30 rounds or more ) YES, YOU CAN BUY 31 OR 33 ROUND GLOCK MAGS FOR ABOUT $25 7.I plan on getting it with night sights from the factory. I don't want to screw around with mods on this gun. For the purposes of a CCW/SHTF sidearm ,what else might I want on it strait from the factory ,or even aftermarket ? EXTENDED MAG RELEASE, EXTENDED SLIDE RELEASE/STOP, CHANNEL PLUG (CHECK GLOCKMEISTER - THEY SELL PACKAGES THAT INCLUDE NIGHT SIGHTS) 8.What's with the funny looking trigger ? (Please keep in mind ,I've never shot one ,only handled them) SAFETY 9.The grip was nice ,but seems as if when your hands got swetty ,your grip might slip. Does anyone make an aftermarket slip on soft or non-slip grip for these ? SKATEBOARD TAPE, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU WILL NEED IT

All you neeed is a stock pistol with night sites, just buy it and practice, practice , you get the picture

I have two Glocks a G19 and a G27 and love them both

The comp. model is not worth the extra $ IMHO. There's not that much recoil diffrance except with NATO or +p+ and you won't be shooting them much if at all.
G-17 was designed for NATO ammo so it will handel all commerical ammo.
Get nite sights!
It's more accurate than you are. 3''  give or take all day long.
The G-19 is much more concielable but you want to keep in ming the grip is shorter and you will have to get used to the trigger guard rubbing on your finger. Plus if it is a 3rd. gen, the finger grooves may not fit your hand well; they don't mine and I have small hands.
17 or 19 whatever you get, just shoot the crap out of it. Then you will know what you may need(grip tape ect) or don't need. Example; the rail is a nice touch but  it's a pain in the ass with M-6 or laser on it. You can't holster it in your regular holster, and if you DO need itin a shtf situation, your going to be focused on it rather than your sights. Time and pratice will tell you .

Quoted: 1.Is the compensated version of the G-17 worth the extra $$$$ ? No. In a firearm for concealed you may need to fire from the hip, or with the gun against yourself.  You'll burn the shit out of yourself if you ever try this with a compensated pistol.  But hey, if follow up shots are more important to you than not damaging your eyes/genitals with exhaust gas, then be my guest. 2.Do I have to buy a special version ,or upgrade parts to use +P or other higher power 9 mm cartridges ,or is the G17 rated to handle them out of the box ? No.  I've always heard that the G17 was designed to live on double charged loads. Even if this is wrong, it still can handle +P+ stock. 3.Please don't BS me on this one -What kind of accuracy do you get from a G-17 ? I'm saying ,what size of a group at 25 yards.Benched or braced. My Taurus shoots about 8 inch groups at that range ,I would like to do better and keep the dependability . 8in at 25 yards?  Try 1-3 for a full size Glock(3inches in my hands standing up). 4.The Glock appears similar in size to the Taurus /Berreta 92s, just boxier,I'll need a new holster. Will it be  more difficult to conceal under a sweatshirt in a crossdraw holster ? No.  With my fat ass(I'm now down to 182lbs) I was always able to carry my G21 under my left arm. 5.If concealability becomes an issue ,is there very much of an accuracy difference between the 17 ,19,and 26 ? Glock 19 if you are stuck on 9mm.  I'm not one for 9mm's, but thats just me. 6.Are the high capacity mags still being produced? (High as in 30 rounds or more ) Yes.  They go up to 33rnd extended mags, but don't expect to conceal these! 7.I plan on getting it with night sights from the factory. I don't want to screw around with mods on this gun. For the purposes of a CCW/SHTF sidearm ,what else might I want on it strait from the factory ,or even aftermarket ? Up to you.  My Glock 21 is 100% stock.  I shoot better with it than some do with rifles. 8.What's with the funny looking trigger ? (Please keep in mind ,I've never shot one ,only handled them) Its the 'Safe Action Trigger'.  That second trigger inside the large one needs to be depressed in order to move the trigger, release the firing pin, and such.  Its just the safety. 9.The grip was nice ,but seems as if when your hands got swetty ,your grip might slip. Does anyone make an aftermarket slip on soft or non-slip grip for these ? Mine doesn't slip.  Go to 'lonewolfdist.com' if you really want one though. Thanks for humoring my newb questions. After handling one in a gunstore ,I'm drawn to a new Glock 17 . No problem.